Women fares spell trouble on night taxis

Drivers say their experiences have put them off picking up women passengers at night. Photo / Getty Images

Taxi drivers are avoiding women passengers because they are "more trouble than they are worth", some Auckland cabbies say.

Just before Christmas, taxi firms were warned against "job picking" by the Auckland Council after the Herald reported that cabbies who wanted to avoid low-profit, short-distance fares had refused to pick up pregnant women, rejected a woman who had been assaulted and forcibly removed others from their vehicles.

Discount Taxis driver Jay Patel said picking up a woman in her 20s in Upper Queen St about 2am on New Year's Eve turned out to be his "worst decision" for 2010.

"She said she had no money when I dropped her in her South Auckland home, and instead asked if she could offer me sex instead," he said.

"The woman got angry and started hammering my head with her handbag when I refused. I told her sex with her isn't going to put food on the table for my family."

Mr Patel said she eventually walked off without paying.

Nashinu Ali, 29, a driver for Reliable Taxis, said he was attacked by a female passenger about three months ago on the Southern Motorway near Newmarket in the early hours of the morning.

"She grabbed my neck, asking for money. I didn't know what to do, because if I touched her she would turn the law against me," Mr Ali said.

"Soon, she jumped out of the taxi and started running on the motorway. I called the cops, but they took over an hour to arrive," he said.

The drivers say their experiences have put them off picking up women passengers at night.

According to a North Territory News report last Tuesday, a 26-year-old woman in Australia smashed a taxi window after the driver said no when she offered to have sex.

The enraged passenger hurled abuse at the driver, slammed the passenger door and kicked the taxi after he refused her offer. She then hurled a bottle at the car, smashing the window.

Refusing passengers based on distance is illegal, but drivers here can refuse service if a person is too drunk or if they fear for their safety.

"When it comes to women passengers, I fear for my safety. Sometimes, they are just not worth the trouble," Mr Ali said.

Auckland Council transport committee chairman Mike Lee has said it is "not acceptable" for taxis to turn away any passengers, especially young women who are "particularly vulnerable late at night".

Mr Lee has asked taxi firms to resolve the situation, saying the council will step in "if the problem is not fixed".

Six taxi drivers who spoke to the Herald said the council should be looking at increasing the number of taxi ranks if it was serious about wanting to improve public transport service.

Summit Taxis driver Ahmad Ali says council works have resulted in the closure of several places where taxis could wait for passengers, including Fort and Quay Sts.

"This is not only hurting our business, but also making it difficult for people who want to get a cab."